Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(239): "The Amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr for the Year 1438 is (1800) Fils and the Ransom for Breaking Fast is one JD per Day"

Date Added : 05-06-2017

Resolution No.(239)(7/2017) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"The Amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr for the Year 1438 is (1800) Fils and the Ransom for Breaking Fast is one JD per Day."

Date: 6/Ramadan/1438 AH, corresponding to 1/6/2017 AD.

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

On the above date, the Board reviewed the amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr and the ransom for breaking fast for the year 1438 AH, and after deliberations it decided the following:

Zakat-ul-Fitr is incumbent on every Muslim, as indicated by the following Hadith: "Allah's Messenger  (PBUH) made it incumbent on all the slave or free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa' of dates or barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr." {Bukhari}.

In fact, it reflects social solidarity that characterizes our tolerant Sharia; particularly, in the blessed month of  Ramadan, the month of  goodness and kindness. Therefore, it is an obligation on every Muslim who owns extra provisions beyond his need as well as the need of everyone in his family on the day and night of  Ed-ul-Fitr. In other words, one father should pay for himself and for whom he supports, even for his baby who is born before the sunset of the last day of Ramadan as well as his poor parents whom he supports.

Therefore, the amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr is one Sa` of food; the Sa` equals (2.5 Kgs.), given by a Muslim from what the people of his country eat the most. In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the common food is wheat; therefore, Zakat-ul-Fitr is (2.5 Kgs.) of wheat on every Muslim person. It is also permissible to give one Sa` of rice since it is more useful to the poor and easier to provide by the giver. Moreover, it is permissible to give the value of this amount in currency.

The Board estimates the value of the Sa` from the common food in Jordan as (1800 F.), and whoever wishes to pay more  shall have a greater reward from Allah, The Almighty.

The preferred time for giving Zakat-ul-Fitr is between the sunset of the last day of Ramadan and the E`ed prayer. It is also permissible to give it from the beginning of Ramadan.

 

Nowadays, it is the duty of every Muslim to observe this ritual (Zakat-ul-Fitr) as it purifies the giver`s soul. Therefore, it must be given on behalf of the child, who isn`t obliged to fast, as well as the sick who is unable to fast. Ibn ’Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) enjoined Zakat-ul-fitr on the one who fasts (i.e. fasted during the month of Ramadan) to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy “ {Abu Dawood}. Giving it to the poor makes them self-sufficient on the day of E`ed; therefore , a Muslim should give it willingly and kindly.

The Board estimates the ransom for breaking fast (Saum Fidyah), by those unable to fast due to old age or sickness (people exempted from fasting), as one JD against each day, and whoever wishes to give more  shall have a greater reward From Allah, The Almighty.

We pray that Allah, The Almighty, accepts our acts of devotion and erases our sins. And Allah Knows Best.

The Iftaa` Board (2017)

Chairman: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh, Grand Mufti of Jordan

Vice Chairman: Sheikh Abdulkareem Khasawneh 

 Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/Member

Prof. Abdulnaser Abulbasal/ Member

Prof. Abdullah Al-Fawaaz/Member 

Dr. Moh. Khair Al-Esa/ Member

Dr. Wa`eil Arabiat/Member

Dr. Majid Drawsheh/Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Hijawi/Member           

Judge Khalid Woraikat/Member

Dr. Mohammad al-Zou`bi/Member   

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible to fast the six days of Shawwal before making up for the missed fasts of Ramadan?

● If a person missed fasts due to a valid excuse, they may fast the six days of Shawwal before making up for Ramadan fasts, because qada (makeup fasts) in this case can be delayed, while the six days of Shawwal must be observed within Shawwal.
● However, if a person missed fasts without a valid excuse, they must make up for the missed fasts immediately after Eid, before fasting the six days of Shawwal. If they fast the six days first, it is valid, but they must still make up for the missed Ramadan fasts afterward.
It is also permissible to combine the intention of qada (makeup fasts) and the six days of Shawwal in one fast. However, it is better to fast them separately, as this increases the reward and avoids scholarly disagreement regarding combining intentions.

 
What is the ruling on the intention of fasting, where is its place, and when is its time?

The intention is a pillar of acts of worship; it is essential, and worship is not valid without it.
Its place is in the heart, and verbalizing it is recommended so that the tongue reminds the heart. Its meaning is to be determined to abstain from nullifiers of fasting during the upcoming day with the intention of worship and obedience to Allah Almighty. This meaning is naturally present in every Muslim on every night of Ramadan, so there is no need for obsessive doubts. If one says, "I intend to fast tomorrow for the sake of Allah," it removes any doubts.
Its time is from after sunset until before the true dawn.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I have a date farm, and the dates come in different categories, and within each category there are different sizes. How is zakāh paid on the yield?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If the yield reaches the niṣāb (the minimum threshold for zakāh to become obligatory) — which is five awsuq (plural of wasq), equivalent to (611) kg — then zakāh becomes obligatory upon it, at a rate of one-tenth ('ushr) if irrigated by rainwater (i.e., naturally, without the use of machinery), or one-twentieth (half of the 'ushr) if irrigated using machinery/equipment.
If the yield of dates consists of different varieties, then zakāh should be paid from each variety according to its respective proportion. If this proves difficult, it is permissible to pay from a medium-quality variety [representative of the average].
It is stated in Ḥāshiyatā Qulyūbī wa ‘Umayrah (Vol.2/P.22): "Different varieties are combined together [for the purpose of calculating the niṣāb] — such as the various types of dates, the various types of raisins, and so on — and zakāh is paid from each type according to its respective proportion. However, if this becomes difficult due to the large number of varieties and the small quantity of each individual type, then zakāh should be paid from a medium-quality variety among them — neither the best nor the worst — out of consideration for both sides [the giver and the poor recipient]. If one goes to the trouble of paying from each variety according to its proportion, this is also permissible." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.